Takamoto Dauji

Takamoto Dauji (1834-1926) was a general of the Tanegashima Domain who fought in the Boshin War.

Biography
Dauji was born on the island of Tanegashima south of Kyushu to a family of retainers that served the Tanegashima Domain. He became an exceptional warrior and strategist and was made a general in the Tanegashima Imperial army during the Boshin War at the age of 33. At the Battle of Hiyabashi in 1867 he was wounded and defeated, trying to use conventional samurai ways to fight against a larger army of Shogunate troops under Fusamoto Ujie. However, a unit of Naginata Infantry became veteran units, and he named them "the True Heroes".